Moussaka is a Greek classic. A rich tomato meat sauce with fried eggplants and potatoes. Topped with bechamel sauce, breadcrumbs, and mozzarella cheese. Then it’s all baked together in the oven to create an amazing dish. This is so filling and can be served with salad as a side.
I love trying new recipes from around the world, and this one particular, has to be one of my favorites. As I was making this dish, I had already a taste in mind on how it will come out. I was so excited and pleased with the results. With a few simple steps, you will have an amazing dinner meal to please your entire family. Also, you can opt the ground beef and turn Moussaka into a Vegetarian one.
Overview On How To Make Moussaka
- Start by cooking the meat sauce on the stove top. I like to season the ground beef with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Add tomato paste, chopped bell peppers, and give it a good mix. Set aside when meat is done cooking.
- While the sauce is cooking on the stove top, you may start with frying the eggplant and potatoes. Peel and cut into thin slices lengthwise.I like to sprinkle each side of the eggplant with salt to remove an excess liquid and some of the bitterness. Deep fry them with vegetable oil until they get golden and slightly brownish on the edges. Transfer on paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Now you can prepare the Bechamel Sauce. (More instructions for the cream below on the step by step instructions.)
- Layering- Begin by sprinkling some Italian breadcrumb on the casserole dish. Then place your fried eggplants. Next add the cooked meat sauce. Spread evenly on top of the eggplants. Next, add the fried potatoes.
- Then spread the bechamel sauce on top along with Italian breadcrumbs, and mozzarella cheese This will create a nice cheese crust while baking.
- Bake in the oven until the cream gets firm and golden for about 30-40 minutes. I like to broil the very top so the cheese crust is golden and crisp.
- Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
Secret For The Best Bechamel Cream Sauce
The best part about this dish is the creamy light Bechamel Sauce. It’s not too heavy because the sauce has the most amazing texture and making it so light and creamy.
Traditionally, when making Bechamel Sauce you start by cooking the butter, along with flour to create what the French call it, “roux”.
This is the thickening base for the bechamel sauce. You then add the milk and cook until the sauce thickens. Add in a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. The nutmeg is the secret key seasoning that takes the bechamel sauce to another level. If the becamel cream gets really firm, you may need to whisk in a bit of extra milk to bring it back to its former shape.
Check out my, Chicken and Cheese Box Patties. Where I added bechamel sauce to the filling. Bechamel sauce is so versatile. It has the most creamy and tasty texture ever. Just brings out so much flavor.
Greek Moussaka
Ingredients
- 2 Large Eggplants (Thinly sliced)
- 3 Medium potatoes peeled and sliced
- 3 Cloves garlic minced
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 cup Chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup Chopped yellow bell pepper
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- Salt and Black pepper
- Vegetable Oil (for frying)
- 2 cups Shredded mozzeralla cheese
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Bechamel Sauce
- 5 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 5 tbsp all purpose flour (sifted)
- 3 cups whole milk (room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Equipment
- Baking casserole dish I used a 9"x13" deep bakeware
Instructions
- Begin by, peeling potatoes, and slicing them. Then fry each side until golden.
- While the potatoes are frying, salt each side of the eggplant. Let the eggplant sweat for about 10 minutes.
- Pat dry the eggplant on both sides for any excess water before frying.
- Fry eggplants until crisp and golden. Should take 2-3 minutes.
- On a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and cook, stirring in a circular motion. Season with, garlic powder, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Cook until brown.
- Add in chopped bell peppers and tomato paste to the ground beef. Mix until combined and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the mixture, uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Once all the moisture has been absorbed from the meat mixture, remove it from the heat. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as necessary.
Prepare The Bechamel Sauce
- In a large saucepan, melt your butter over medium heat.
- Once melted, add the flour and whisk until they clump up together as like a little dough.
- Add the milk, roughly 1 cup at a time. Whisking after each addition until smooth sauce is reach before adding more milk. You may use a handheld blender to break apart any clumps.
- Season sauce with nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
- Continue to heat the bechamel sauce over medium heat, stirring often, until sauce thickens. Should take about 15 minutes. Once thickened remove the sauce from the heat.
Assemble and Bake The Moussaka
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle Italian breadcrumbs on the bottom of the dish.
- Spread a layer of eggplant over the bread crumbs.
- Spread the meat over the eggplant.
- Spread a layer of potatoes over the meat.
- Pour the bechamel sauce over the final layer. Use a spatula to spread the sauce evenly.
- Sprinkle the top with Italian breadcrumbs and shredded mozzeralla cheese.
- Bake the moussake for 25 minutes covered with aluminum foil.
- Uncover and broil the Moussaka for 2-3 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Remove the moussaka from the oven and let it cool down before serving.
- Moussaka can be made ahead of time and refrigerated before baking.
- You can opt out the ground beef and make this dish vegetarian
- If you don’t have Italian breadcrumbs, you can use regular bread crumbs.
- It is not necessary to fry the eggplant and potatoes. You can air fry or roast the eggplant and potatoes in the oven. Coat each side with olive oil and roast them for 20 minutes until they are cooked and golden brown.
